Managing burnout and well-being

• Main Authors: TANG, Bek Wuay, TAN, Jacinth Jia Xin, TOV, William
• Format: text
• Language: English
• Published: Institutional Knowledge at Singapore Management University 2023
• Subjects: Burnout; culture; job demands and resources; areas of work life; Industrial and Organizational Psychology
• Online Access: https://ink.library.smu.edu.sg/soss_research/3884
• Institution: Singapore Management University

Experiencing job stress is part and parcel of employment. When mismanaged, job stress can lead to burnout, which incurs costs to both individual well-being and organizations. As culture can shape one’s social identity, perceptions of and emotional responses to the social environment, the causes and psychological mechanisms of burnout may vary depending on the cultural context. In this chapter, we first review theories of burnout that are based on the principle of fit. Next, drawing on the independent versus interdependent cultural distinction, we highlight key cultural differences in self-construal, thinking styles and power distance orientation, and outline several novel hypotheses regarding how burnout might manifest among culturally interdependent Asians. Finally, using the same cultural lens, we outline key management strategies that can help organizations in Asia to play an active role in reducing burnout and improving workplace well-being.